Topics of the Day.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 75, 29 March 1913, Page 13

Topics of the Day.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, February 14CAPTAIN SCOTT AND SEABXA. EVANS According to a special ''Chronicle' cable from (,'liri-tcliurcli. giving detail of an interview with Lt. Evans, "grea' surprised has been expressed hero a Captain Scott, references to --jeani-ir Edgar Evans. He accompanied L'aptuir Scott on his first attempt to reach th; Pole ten years ago, and the leader tlii'C praised him highly. There is no word o: commendation for him on this occasion." There is in this extract from the "Chronicle" cable a suggestion thai Captain Scott's reference to Seaman Evans' "astonishing failure" meant » good deal more than mere physical fail* uro. This suggestion hardly fits in witH the contents of a letter Captain Scott sent to ilrts. Kvans from the Antarctic Therein Captain Scott said: — "It is possible that we may not finish our work this year, and in that case he. will stop with mc lor another seasoiL If so, you must try and remember that he is certain to bo in the best of health, and that it will be all the better when he does come home. When that time comes, I hope he will get some good billet, and not have to leave you again. He is such an old friend of mine and has done so well on this expedition that he deserves all I can do for him, so I hope you won't be anxious or worried."

Of course, there is no telling what mental effects a long sojourn in the Antarctic might produce, especially tiposj a man who —if Dr. Xansen, Captain Amundsen, Sir Ernest Shaekloton, and others versed in polar work arc correct in their surmises—was suffering from that terrible scourge, scurvy, and it may be that in the later stages of tht ill-fated expedition Seaman Evans failed in other than physical res.pects. Hut in Captain Scott's letter to Mrs. Evans there is no hint that the Commander had any fault to find with the brawny sailor whom he refers to as "such au old friend."

Mrs. Evans, the widow, stated in tho course of an interview that her husband had told her at the time they were married —some eight years ago—that he would only go away if he was want-d to join another expedition with Captain Scott. That was the only thing which would tempt him from home, but he hail firmly made up his mind to join Captain Scott if he went on another expedition.

"He liked Captain Scott, and was a great favourite of tnat commander. It was no surprise to mc, therefore, when he decided to this time. He had always the ambition to get further south than he had been before. That wish ran through all his last letters to mc. lie was very enthusiastic on the subject. I knew he would go if Captain Scott - wanted him at any time, and 1 had to make up my mind to it." "HE WAS A BRICK." An interesting interview which throws some light on Captain Scott's undoubted influence with men over whom he happened to be officially placed appeared in the "Grimsby Telegraph" this week. The pressman's willing victim was Mr G. B. Croucher, a teacher of navigation, who _§jap__S_L'. Antarctic. Like Cap_M_i'"Ammuh(_eh and Lieutenant Shack_4ciJ, Mr Croucher doesn't ■believe that _____ merely a blizzard that brought Captain Scott and his party to grief, and, like them, he ap- v parently- attributes their inability to compass tkat last ten miies to One Ton camp to the enfeebling efforts of scurvy or some insidious allied disease. Said Mr Croucher: —

"I cannot think that the party were lost in a 'blizzard. 'No blizzard could finish Captain Scott. I have been with him when we were snowed up for four days. We used to have blizzards so often, and got so used to them, that nobody ever complained. He was a brick! He used to come and talk to us ou walking parties, and if any of us felt downhearted or upset, or wondering whether we were going to find the depots, he was the first man to put new life into the party. "At night time, after the day's march was done, it was always Captain Scott who came round with a cheerful 'Are wo all right and comfortable?' lie took a personal interest iv everybody. I remember once when the dogs were a bit awkward, .and we wondered how we were going to manage, that Captain Scott harnessed himself to the sledge and said, 'We are going to pull ourselves.' He never asked you to do anything without talcing a hand in it himself. If he .had any doubt about crevasses he went in fro"nt of the party, and lie was the first man to fall into a crevasse."

It is an interesting fact that [Mr Croucher was invited to accompany the present expedition .by Captain Scott. He was at Alexandria, en route to India, as second officer on a vessel belonging to the Mercantile Steamship Company when ho received a letter from his old leader expressing the hope that be could count on him going again. "I would have gone had I the chance," said Mr Croucher. "but I could not get away from the ship in time. I shall always have cause to regret his death, for he did mc a lot of good. He regretted my leaving tlie Navy, but when I did he wrote and asked the people who employed mc as to my prospects. What a seaman likes to see in an officer is seamanlike qualities, and Captain Scott was an officer and a seaman of the type which has made the English Xavy what it is. There is a sort of cast-iron barrier between officers anu men in the Navy so far as social matters go, 'Hut Captain Scott could talk to you as though you were his equal, although there was still just that something about him which always made you remember who he was."

A CURIOUS PABAIXEIs Mrs Bowers, the mother of Lieut. H. R. Bowers (who died with Captain Scott), learnt of the death of liev only son by reading the English telegramis posted daily at Paile's Library, Rome. She was overcome with grief and the sudden shock, and was taken to the Hotel Ludovici, where she now lies. It was oniy a few weeks ago that she parted with Mrs Scott, when the ex-, plorer's wife left for New Zealand, and Mrs Bowers came to Rome to await the return of her son, who was to have sailed from New Zealand -by the Orient Line to Naples, and to continue tho journey to England overland. Twenty years ago Mrs Bowers lost her husband, who was also in the Navy. She was on her way to join liim, when a telegram reached her at an intermediate port announcing that he had been accidentally drowned. Her son was particularly requested by Captain Scott to take part in the expedition, over a thousand volunteers for the post he occupied being refused.